Global Risk Partners hires Zurich exec to head up business development

Chris Sime, the head of sales and strategic accounts at Zurich Insurance, has joined Global Risk Partners (GRP), an insurance broking and managing general agent (MGA) investment vehicle, as its group business development director.

He will be part of GRP’s retail broking management team and will report to CEO of broking Mike Bruce.

In his new role, Sime will be responsible for managing relationships with GRP’s insurer partners as well as strategic sales planning and execution across the retail business. He will also look after product development.

At Zurich, he was responsible for PIB, Broker Network and Jelf, among others. Before joining Zurich in 2013, Sime served in a number of senior sales and market-facing roles at RSA.

"Chris is a heavy hitter and I’m delighted he has chosen to join GRP’s retail team to take the next step in his career," said Bruce. "He will also build upon the excellent relationship between GRP and Zurich who are a key insurer partner."

"GRP has a reputation for building a highly successful family of businesses with a very ambitious growth trajectory, but Chris’ appointment underlines the equal emphasis we place on organic growth in our retail division and across the rest of the business."

Sime added: "Mike painted a compelling picture of the group’s ambition for the retail broking division, and having made the crossover from insurer to broking, I look forward to playing my part in delivering GRP’s long term strategic aims."

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